Document text
Ashland Chamber Communique: Think before you shop — and shop local Ashland Chamber of Commerce logo Monday Dec 12, 2016 at 5:16 PM Dec 12, 2016 at 5:16 PM By Dana Preston Ashland Chamber of Commerce Last month, the Ashland Chamber introduced its expanded holiday programs to encourage local shopping this holiday season. Programs such as the Holiday Gift Guide, available at the Ashland Chamber office and select merchants, along with the Give Back Wednesdays programs, make it easy and fun to support our local retailers. But shopping local, with national campaigns such as the #ShopLocal hashtag and Small Business Saturday are bigger than fun promotions — they help provide jobs and shopping local has a substantial impact on our community. Ashland’s independent retailers are unique, innovative and run by people passionate for our local community. Independent retailers have their ears to the ground in our community and listen to the needs of their customers. Where else but an independent retail shop can you ask the owner for detailed product recommendations and to place special orders? Where else can you shop one day and run into the store owner at a community event or even the grocery store and ask questions you forgot about on your earlier shopping excursions? Our local retailers are our neighbors and friends. They are active members of our community. Supporting our local businesses keeps dollars in our Ashland economy. First and foremost, our local businesses are philanthropic. Ask any retailer in our community how they give back and the list is endless. By supporting these owners, you are supporting organizations such as the Ashland Community Hospital Foundation, Ashland Schools Foundation, Ashland Emergency Food Bank, The Rogue Riverkeeper, Rogue Valley Symphony and Community Works, just to name a few. These organizations are appreciative of the support from our local business community to accomplish the great things they do. Supporting our local businesses helps support these organizations. Beyond philanthropy, local retailers provide jobs. The most recent data shows that there are 158 retail firms in Ashland employing 1,493 people and the average payroll is 105 percent of the statewide average. Our retailers provide full time and part time as well as seasonal employment. The retail industry interacts with and supports other local industries as well. For example, many local Ashland retailers support our local artisan community by selling their products in their stores, providing them a retail outlet. The Ashland Chamber created a video in 2016 featuring our Retail Task Force to share our holiday promotions. We wanted them to tell you their stories, what makes our retail community special, and different from shopping in a big box store or online. Visit ashlandchamber.com/livelocal to watch the video and for more information about our holiday promotions. Pick up your Holiday Gift Guide at the Ashland Chamber office and shop on Give Back Wednesdays (the third and final one is on Wednesday, Dec. 14, for the benefit of the Ashland Schools Foundation). Think before you shop this holiday season, and all year round, and support your neighbors and friends. Dana Preston is membership development manager for the Ashland Chamber of Commerce. For more information, go to www.ashlandchamber.com, call 541-482-3486 or stop by the office at 110 East Main St.